He came to be one of us. Be. To live and exist and move. This final ingredient in our spiritual discipline of Advent challenges us to make God’s Word our way of life. Living His Word is the way disciples of Jesus follow Him. He came as the Word made flesh (John 1:14) and it […]
They offered Him gifts. Meditate. Examine. Build. Be. The steps in our spiritual roadmap for Advent. Be. Exist. Live. Move. These synonyms for be expand our understanding of what it means to “be in the Word.” As you read the Scripture associated with the devotionals in Joy to the World consider what it means to […]
Troubled by Jesus. Building excitement and anticipation for Jesus’s presence in your life and His ultimate return to earth is thoughtful work. Fashion is another synonym for the word build. It means “to mold into a particular character by influencing or training” (Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary). Molding, building, transforming takes imagination. We must form a clear mental […]
His star rose. Yesterday we considered building excitement and anticipation for God’s presence in our lives and Jesus’s return in the future. A synonym for build is forge. Forge can mean “to move forward slowly and steadily” or “to move with a sudden increase of speed and power” (Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary). In our spiritual journeys we […]
Wise men seek the King of the Jews. The roadmap for Advent as a spiritual journey — Meditate. Examine. Build. Be. — is a means of drawing close to God’s presence, not only in the manger, but for wherever you find yourself in the world. Build. Form. Fashion. Construct. Forge. The third step toward adoring […]
Peace for those who please Him. Self-examination is not a means of building self-esteem or an exercise in self-judgment to send us on a guilt-trip. Inspecting, interrogating, and examining our hearts is about looking closely to see if our thoughts, emotions, and desires line up with what God says His people of faith should experience. […]
It all leads to the cross. Remember our roadmap for approaching Advent as a spiritual discipline.Meditate. Examine. Build. Be. We focused a bit on what it means to meditate. Now let’s consider examine. Examine. Inspect. Test. Inquire. Interrogate. John Piper asks us to venture into self-examination. Look closely at our own hearts: our mind, will, […]
And all went to be counted. As you go about your ordinary days this Advent season, meditate on your need for a Savior. Look for places at work, home, among family, friends, and neighbors, where you may be in need of deliverance from a situation, an attitude, or a relationship. Read December 4: For God’s […]
Blessed be the Lord! Meditate. Examine. Build. Be. Our roadmap for approaching Advent as a spiritual discipline. Meditate. Ponder. Reflect. Contemplate. Intentionally considering, thinking about, our need for a Savior is the first step on our way to adoring Jesus. Read December 3: The Long-Awaited Visitation Reflect. What attitude does John Piper suggest we should […]
Rejoice in God your Savior. Yesterday we were given a roadmap, a guide, for our spiritual journey through Advent: Meditate. Examine. Build. Be. As we continue reading through Joy to the World each day, incorporate the roadmap into your devotional time. Meditate on your need for a Savior, examine your current life in Christ, build […]
